How can universities accelerate the global transition to net zero?

28 OCTOBER 2021

THE is delighted to have collaborated with the UN Environment Programme for the THE Climate Impact Forum on 28 October 2021.

We convened a new discussion with government ministers, education leaders, industry investors and leading youth voices to identify, share, challenge and inspire the higher education sector to take a more significant role in accelerating the socio-economic transformation required to achieve net zero.

The forum produced clear and credible opportunities for universities to position themselves to have a greater impact through their teaching, research and public engagement, that will meet the demands of young people from across the world and the policy commitments of government leaders.

New research was launched to reveal the key expectations of the global student community and their proposals for institutional change.

A series of workshops and presentations from leaders across higher education, industry and government focused on how institutions can take action to respond and achieve the potential change that is required.

Report: The Race to Net Zero

Read THE’s new data-led report, The Race to Net Zero, to find out how well higher education institutions across the globe are performing when it comes to reducing their own greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to net zero.

The Race to Net Zero

In collaboration with

AGENDA THEMES

What do young people want?

Specially commissioned research will be launched at the forum. Youth-led surveys across key regions of the world that are confronting the climate emergency will identify the key expectations of young people across the world of how universities can transform their practice and impact.

How are universities creating impact?

THE data will show how a common understanding of climate impact is being produced. We will ask what is missing, how it can be improved, and is the impact going to be enough?

What support do we need

We will examine progress being made towards reaching net zero, and ask how governments and industry can play a more collaborative role with the higher education sector to ensure that universities can become agents of rapid change.